Regional recreation plan will benefit tri-county region

A proposal before Pottstown Borough Council tonight has potential to promote events in town, identify quality-of-life opportunities, and make recreation a regional investment at very little cost to borough taxpayers. The plan could even attract financial support for Pottstown’s ever-struggling Fourth of July celebration.

What’s not to like?

The proposal which council is being asked to endorse has been discussed for several months by the Pottstown Metropolitan Area Regional Planning Committee and would be jointly funded by the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation and a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The idea is to use the funding to hire what the state calls “a circuit rider” and what David Kraybill, executive director of the foundation, calls a “regional recreation coordinator” to help organize, provide technical and marketing support and write grants for the eight municipalities which comprise the regional planning area.

To benefit, each municipality would have to sign on and pay what the foundation’s Anna Brendle-Kennedy called “an escalating” fee which begins with several hundred dollars and ends, after five years at $5,000, so long as all municipalities participate.

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Several area towns have endorsed the proposal, including North Coventry and Douglass (Montgomery) townships. East Coventry rejected the plan over cost concerns. Other townships are on the fence.

Kraybill said he hoped that resistance can be overcome with a better understanding of what is proposed.

“This is more of a consultant,” he said, noting that for municipalities with their own recreation directors, this post would act to supplement that position, helping to write grants, helping coordinate promotion of large events, even helping with fund-raising.

“I think it’s a terrific concept,” said Steve Bamford, who, as the head of Pottstown Area Industrial Development Inc., is the borough’s top economic development person.

Recreation, he said “is one good way to boost awareness and bring people into town and it works well when done with a regional approach.”

We agree. Recreation attracts people and promotes economic vitality in regions, and this approach, as put together by the wellness foundation offers value to every town in the region. For Pottstown, a consultant could help promote events like the Fourth of July celebration and Volleyball Rumble. For townships, the help could be used to secure grants and develop open space, trails and ballfields.

The benefits are certain to far outweigh the future costs.

We expect Pottstown will endorse this proposal, and we applaud that. But just as important is support throughout the region. We urge area townships to join this regional recreation plan. It’s a win-win for the tri-county region.